BY NOMALUNGELO BOOI

Two young men were shot dead and three others injured when a group of unknown men broke into a house in Malabar in the early hours of Tuesday, rounded them up in the kitchen and then opened fire.

While police do not yet know the motive for the mass shooting, Nelson Mandela Bay district police commissioner Major-General Vuyisile Ncata has implemented a 72-hour activation plan.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the men broke down the door of the Calvert Street home, in Malabar Extension Six, at about 12.46am, and allegedly asked for the homeowner’s son.

“Four occupants managed to escape while the five victims were rounded up and shot in the kitchen.

“Two men sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died on the scene, while another three sustained injuries and were taken to hospital,” Naidu said.

The deceased were identified as Ruben Stuurman, 28, and Yano Richards, 24.

Ncata appealed to the community to assist the police in their investigation, as they worked around the clock to try to track down the suspects.

BY ZONWABELE JANUARY

A pregnant woman, discovered with a gunshot wound to the head on November 2, has been identified as 30-year-old Khuselwa Peter of Kwazakhele.

Peter was about five months pregnant at the time of her death, according to the police.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said police had responded to a complaint from a truck driver of a body lying in a ditch on the Old St Albans gravel road near Booysen Park at about 7.45am on November 2.

The woman was wearing her pyjamas.

“It is alleged that on the evening of November 1, Peter asked her boyfriend to buy KFC for her.

“As he was leaving in his vehicle, she walked out the gate to inform him that she was walking somewhere nearby and would return shortly.

“When her boyfriend returned, she was not at home.

“He went to bed, and two days later, after seeing a picture in Daily Kasi newspaper, he realised that the clothing fitted the description of her clothing,” Naidu said.

A postmortem confirmed that Peter was about five months pregnant.

Anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the shooter, should contact Lieutenant-Colonel Alan Stuurman on 071-608-1641, Crime Stop on 08600-10111, or go to their nearest police station.

BY NOMALUNGELO BOOI

A Kariega teenager died after she and her mother were shot in their home on Thursday night.

The suspects, who are still at large, fired shots through a sliding door at the Vanes Estate home at about 10pm.

Keisha Goliath, 15, was rushed to hospital, but pronounced dead on arrival.

Her mother was also hospitalised and is recovering.

Station commander at Kariega police station, Brigadier Andre Swart, said police had launched a manhuntto find the suspects.

“Police have implemented a 72-hour activation plan,” Swart said.

“[The unknown suspects] allegedly fired shots through a sliding door at a residence at Vanes Estate at about 9.55pm.”

The motive for the shooting is unknown.

“A case of murder and attempted murder is under investigation.

“Police urge anyone with information to contact Detective-Constable Shawn Mbonda on 082-302-5810 or 078-943-7655.”

Anyone with information can also contact Crime Stop at 08600-10111 or the nearest police station.

The deadly attack comes after Nelson Mandela Bay police conducted a crime prevention operation in KwaNobuhle on the back of a recent spate of shootings in the area on the same day.Police and other law enforcement agencies also conducted a multi-disciplinary operation to clamp down on the escalating crime in urban communities in the metro.

Station commanders from the 18 police stations in the district led the teams, supported by the metro police, to conduct two roadblocks along Ponana Tini and Mabandla roads.

Operations included roving stop-and-searches, vehicle checkpoints, visits to taverns and liquor outlets, and second-hand goods businesses to check for compliance.

Officers also searched for unlicensed firearms and drugs.

Among the successes, police issued traffic fines to the value of R52,000.

Three suspects were arrested for the possession of Mandrax and dagga, and a man was arrested for drunk driving.

A total of 33 Mandrax tablets and five rolls of dagga were confiscated.

“With the festive season soon upon us, policing operations will intensify with more boots on the ground in all hotspot areas across Nelson Mandela Bay,” police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said

BY PHUMLANI SAUL

Not even street poles in Nelson Mandela Bay are safe from criminals looking to score a quick fix.

Spotted walking away with what looked like cables, a thief made his way into the bushes just outside Kwanobuhle near Kariega on Wednesday after stripping a fallen street pole on Mathanzima Road

Kwanobuhle resident Masixole Ndlozi (33) told Daily Kasi News “I spotted the man as I was driving through Mathanzima Road near Cemetery at about 5pm.

“I noticed a few of them [street poles] were knocked over.

“When we were leaving I noticed a guy carrying scrap, but when you look closely you can clearly see it’s the inside of a lamp,” Ndlozi said.

While trying to take pictures of the thief, Ndlozi I noticed he was being watched and instead made a run for it.

Driving into Kariega on Thursday, it was evident at least seven street poles along the busy route had been felled.

The poles are damaged at the bottom with pieces of fibre sticking out.

On the other side of the M12 , two of the poles have been broken halfway up, while another one has been hacked from the bottom.

Residents say the road has been dark for months.

Community leader Anele Shezi (55) said the section of the M12 had been dark for almost a month.

“Street lights around Cape Road have not been working for about three months.On the M12 it’s been dark for about a month. The whole situation is bad.

“Crime is very high in KwaNobuhle, we need the lights to see,” he said.

A mini substation is also damaged, with exposed cables.

Kwanobuhle Community Forum member Godfrey Jacobs(43) said vandalism and break-ins were on the rise in the area.

He said mushrooming scrapyards had contributed to the vandalism.

“We now have three [scrapyards].

“Earlier this year, the community forcibly shut down one of them after people kept waking up with their taps missing.

“When we went to confront the owner, we found a bag full of the copper taps,” he said.

Adding to their woes is having to report to the Local police station, which is under a different Area.

“We know they are understaffed but between the metro and Cacadu municipality we feel like forgotten children.”

FTI Consulting strategic communications senior consultant Shanaaz Loggenberg failed to respond to questions on behalf of Sanral.

Bay electricity and energy political boss Lance Grootboom said overall copper vandalism in the metro was on the decline but hotspots remained.

“We are going to appoint more security personnel that will specifically focus on this theft.

“We have identified key areas and Colchester is one of them,” Grootboom said.

BY XOLA NGCANGCA

It has been another bloody weekend in the country

Another fatal killing in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro within less than a month.

Gqeberha police have implemented the 72 hour activation plan following the murders of six people in New Brighton during the early hours of Saturday morning.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the activation plan was initiated after residents made the gruesome discovery of the bodies lying scattered around a house in Ramba Street.

“It is alleged that between 1am and 2am neighbours heard gunshots and at about 6:45am when they went to check on their neighbour’s house in Ramba Street, they found the door open.

“On further investigation, the bodies of four people (one female and three males) were found lying in the lounge.

“Another female was found in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. The female in the bedroom had a three-year-old child with her, the child was unhurt.”

Naidu said all the deceased are aged between 25 and 35-years-old, however, the names of the deceased have been withheld until their next of kin have been informed.

“It is further alleged that the owner of the house was a ‘bush’ mechanic who worked on cars. Some of the victims were shot and stabbed while others were only shot.

“It is alleged that the house is a drug post. Parts of the house was ransacked. It is not known whether anything was taken.”

The suspects and motive for the shootings are unknown at this stage and a case of murder with six counts will be investigated by the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation in Gqeberha.

Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Thandiswa Kupiso called on the New Brighton community to work closely with police in identifying and arresting those responsible.

“We are appealing to everyone on all levels of society to stand together with the police to stop these ruthless criminals who threaten the stability and peace within our communities.

“The 72 hour activation team will be working around the clock to gather information and evidence to identify those responsible for committing such heinous murders,” Kupiso said.

Police are urging anyone who can assist to contact detective Colonel Willie Mayi on 082-697-5914 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or the nearest police station.

All information is confidential and callers may remain anonymous.

BY PHUMLANI SAUL

trimmings and worth R63m was presented to the Kariega community on Friday amid much excitement.

Eastern Cape education MEC Fundile Gade officially handed over the keys to the Noninzi Luzipho Primary School in KwaNobuhle as parents and community members sang songs.

The school started from humble beginnings, with pupils being taught in informal structures before moving into a church in 2001, and then Wendy houses in 2002.

As the SA and school flags were hoisted on Friday, dignitaries from the department of education, staff, police officers and the school choir sang the national anthem with pride.

School governing body chair Aletta April told DK news they had made a plea for a new school in 2009 and were over the moon when the request was finally approved.

“Construction at the school started in 2018,” she said.

“We did not think it would ever be this beautiful, but the department has surprised us.

“Our area has a lot of young people who are involved with drugs, and there is a lot of crime.

“We are hopeful that there can now be a change in our community for our children, because we have a learner support programme where the teacher can work with social development to help the children overcome any challenges they are facing.”

Principal Vuyani Singeni told Daily Kasi News “this was one of the proudest moments in the school’s history and he was left speechless when he reflected on how the school had started”

“I am on top of the world today. We are celebrating with the teachers, and the children who now actually feel as though they are in a school. The teachers are feeling motivated.”

Singeni joined the school in September 2021The teachers would tell me how cold it used to get in the classrooms. Only a few children would come to school because of this.

“It was tough times back then. Criminals had easy access to steal, because there was no fence or security,” Singeni said.

All they were waiting for now was for the school hall to be completed.

Gade said that three years ago the department had realised the problem of schools that were too small and without enough resources.

“The problem with those schools is that they cannot give you quality education.”

The school now boasts 29 classrooms, computer labs, a library, advanced science lab, and an administrative block.

The non-fee paying school has also been properly fenced, with a netball court inside the schoolyard, among other things.

“To ensure each pupil’s human dignity is preserved, we have employed social workers to have constant interaction with the children once we pick up a problem,” Gade said.

He said the department’s challenge was to ensure all children who enrolled in grade R made it to grade 12, and schools such as Noninzi Luzipho would help it realise that goal.

BY NOMALUNGELO BOOI

The police have asked the public’s assistance to identify a woman whose body was found floating in the sea at Cape Recife on Thursday morning.

Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said police divers were called to the Cape Recife lighthouse at about 11am when a family walking nearby noticed a body floating just off the beach.

Police divers retrieved the body of a woman, believed to be between 50-55 years old.

She was dressed in only her bra, and initial reports revealed no visible wounds or injuries.

A postmortem would be conducted to determine the cause of death, Janse van Rensburg said.

Anyone who may be able to identify the woman should contact the Humewood police on 041-504-5019.

Alternatively contact Crime Stop on 08600-10111 or your nearest police station.

BY ZONWABELE JANUARY

An unidentified woman, believed to have been pregnant, has been found dead in a ditch with a gunshot wound to the head.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said police were notified on Wednesday morning about a woman, aged 30-35, lying in a ditch on the Old St Albans gravel road.

A truck driver saw the body and contacted police.

“She was dressed in a white and brownish sleeping gown, blue pyjama pants with white stars, and green bedroom sleeping boots.

“She sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

“It is suspected the deceased may have been pregnant; however, a postmortem will be able to confirm this,” Naidu said.

She said police were urgently trying to identify the woman and trace her next of kin.

It was thought that the woman had been shot on Monday night.

Anyone who may be able to identify the woman or have information that could assist in the investigation, should contact Lieutenant-Colonel Alan Stuurman on 071-608-1641, Crime Stop 08600 10111 or the nearest police station.

BY PHUMLANI SAUL

Police in Kwanobuhle have launched a manhunt for two suspects involved in the fatal killing of two people and injury to another three in Mqhaba Street in Kwanobuhle yesterday afternoon.

It is alleged that at about 15:15, a ‘jikeleza’ driver of a Mazda 323 was offloading passengers in Mqhaba Street when two masked men approached the vehicle and fired shots. The driver (24) and two female passengers managed to get out and run away however they sustained gunshot wounds.

The two males, both aged 24 years old that were still in the vehicle were fatally injured. They sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

The driver sustained a gunshot wound to his toe while a 14 year old teenage girl sustained a gunshot wound in her back and another 31 year old female sustained a gunshot wound in her buttocks. All the injured were taken to hospital for treatment.

One of the two deceased persons was identified as Nkosiyabo Nqakula from Kwanobuhle. The other deceased identity is yet to be established.

The motive for the incident is under investigation.

The Provincial Organised Crime Investigation (POCI) in Gqeberha are investigating cases of murder and attempted murder.

Anyone who can assist in the investigation is asked to contact D/Lt Col Willie Mayi on 082 697 5914 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or their nearest police station. All information is confidential and callers may remain anonymous.

BY PHUMLANI SAUL

Parents irate about alleged disappearance of money meant for fun events

A teacher at a KwaNobuhle primary school is being investigated after allegations by pupils that he “ate the money” they handed over for two grade 7 farewell functions.

Eastern Cape education department spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima confirmed the department’s position on the matter last week after parents staged a protest at Mngcunube Primary School related to the alleged disappearance of money, totalling about R17,000.

The matter at Mngcunube was brought to our attention,” Mtima said.

“An educator is accused of financial misconduct and we are investigating.”

On Monday last week, about a dozen parents gathered at the school to protest about the situation.

Landelwa Yayi said their children and others in grade 7 had been due to enjoy a farewell.

“They were going for a meal at a restaurant in Kariega on Thursday [October 20] and then on the Friday they were supposed to go to the beach.

“We paid R400 for each of our children towards the farewell events.

“But the restaurant did not happen properly. They did not get enough food.

“And then on Friday when the kids arrived all excited for the beach, they were told they were no longer going as there was no money.

“When we asked the principal, she told us their teacher had eaten the money.”

Another mother, Simbulele Potye, told Daily Kasi News they had receipts to show that they had each given R400.

Another mother, Vuyiseka Makinana, said: “This thing is affecting 43 learners. It is a lot of money.”

The name of the teacher is known to Daily Kasi News but is being withheld because his contact details could not be traced.

Principal Vuyokazi Gaika referred questions to the department.

EFF regional command member Hector Peter, who alerted DK-NEWS to the protest, said there appeared to be other matters of concern at the school.

“We are calling on the principal to host a meeting of all Mngcunube parents and the community at large so these concerns can be put on the table,” he said.

In a similar case at Motherwell’s Mfesane Senior Secondary School, the department was last week set to begin hearings on allegations that members of the school governing body had used school feeding scheme funds to stock up their own larders and even tried to use the money to buy alcohol.

The money from the provincial education department, totalling about R1m a year, was supposed to be used to provide Mfesane pupils, many of whom come from impoverished households, with one healthy meal a day.

The allegations that the funds were being misused were brought to the fore by three former members of the school governing body.

They said they had resigned in September after trying for months without success to raise their concerns with the department though they provided receipts and other evidence of what was allegedly going on.

According to the whistle-blowers, the school governing body members also allegedly claimed for transport to meetings even when there was no meeting.

Furthermore, no budget or financial plan had been drawn up to properly manage the spending of funds, as the governing body was required to do.